Astros to employ closer by committee to start season

JUPITER, Fla. — At least to the start the year, the Astros seem set to have no defined closer.

“Closer by committee,” a sometimes loaded term, is the direction they’re headed.

“I think that if we had a guy, I think that it would have been decided by now,” manager Bo Porter said Sunday morning. “So I think that we will go into the season with a closer by committee and try to look at the best situation given that night, given that game.”

Chad Qualls, Matt Albers, Josh Fields, Kevin Chapman and Anthony Bass are in a group of pitchers that Porter previously named as closing candidates. Lurking in the background is Jesse Crain, who could well be the best relief pitcher the team has, but isn’t expected to be available until late April or early May.